The U.S. investors believed to be in negotiations to take over League of Ireland Premier Division club Dundalk have a 25% stake in Premier League side Bournemouth, according to Garry Doyle of the LONDON TIMES. Peak6 is a Chicago-based investment firm whose co-owner, Matt Hulsizer, also owns a stake in the NHL Minnesota Wild. The firm invested in Bournemouth two years ago after Hulsizer "failed to secure ownership" of League Championship side Reading a year earlier. Hulsizer "is an intriguing character, whose attraction to sporting underdog stories alerted him to Dundalk last year," when it became the lowest-seeded side to qualify for the Europa League group stages. Talks with Dundalk's owners have reportedly "taken place in the last month." Their plan is to rebuild Oriel Park and construct a 7,500-seat stadium, complete with corporate facilities. In addition, they want to build a schoolboy structure "which would make the club self-financing." Should the deal be completed -- and sources said that the talks are "at an advanced stage" -- the first objective of the new owners will be to secure Dundalk Manager Stephen Kenny on a new deal. The other key objective of Peak6's plan is to "build the Dundalk brand and sell it to an American audience" (LONDON TIMES, 11/8).
